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‘Don’t cut our crime budget further’

THE new man charged with helping shape the future of policing in Bolton has urged the Government not to cut crime budgets.
Tony Lloyd — Greater Manchester’s first Police and Crime Commissioner — met Home Secretary Theresa May to discuss the issue.
Labour’s Mr Lloyd, who represented Manchester Central as an MP before assuming his £100,000-a-year role in November, said: “Whilst in Parliament I asked the Prime Minister if he would guarantee that there would be no further cuts to policing budgets.

“He failed to answer my question so, along with other Police and Crime Commissioners, I asked the Home Secretary if she would give that guarantee.
“It was clear to me before the election that the safety of communities across Greater Manchester was under threat with the reckless 20 per cent Government cuts we have suffered.
“The prospect of further disproportionate cuts to Greater Manchester is worrying and I pledged at the election to oppose Government cuts.
“The Home Secretary must listen to the 2.5 million people I represent who want to see our police cutting crime, not the Government cutting our police.”
Fighting cuts to Greater Manchester Police’s budget was one of Mr Lloyd’s key promises in the run-up to the commissioner elections.
He said: “Greater Manchester has suffered 20 per cent cuts in its resources and 3,000 people are being made redundant.
“The Government has singled out Greater Manchester for gross and unfair treatment.
“We’ve all got to be singing from the same hymn sheet to make sure things work better.”